10 Reasons to Love Bathroom Floor Tiles

Choosing the right floor in your bathroom is extremely important - different flooring types have different properties and each brings something different to the overall look and feel of your bathroom. However, in this article we are going to look at our favourite bathroom flooring, and the reasons why we think you should look no further, than tiles.

Tiled Floors

1. Tiled floors are naturally water and humidity resistant

Warm, wet areas like bathrooms tend to plagued by mold. However, some tiles, like ceramics for instance, provide much less opportunity for mold and dampness to set in, won't corrode, and won’t fade with water and humidity.

Of course, tiles come in lots of different materials, and so have different properties. While some tiles may have as little as 0.5% moisture absorption rate, it is worth noting that some natural tiles are porous, but can be given a special glaze, so you can get the luxurious look of natural stone, with all the benefits of waterproof flooring.

2. Heat Resistant

There are tiles available on the market that are naturally resistant to thermal changes, this means they will not warp or change shape when exposed to heat, this makes them ideal for bathrooms and wet rooms.

3.Tiled Flooring is Low Maintenance

Your bathroom is one of the rooms in your house that requires the most cleaning, with so much daily use, products and appliances. However, tiles require much less cleaning and general maintenance to keep them look fantastic, as they do not easily retain odors, stains or dirt.

You can brush up loose dirt, then wipe or mop your tiles and they will look as good as new. Plus, many tiles are stain resistant, so even if you do get a bit of dirt or spill a product, you can restore your floor to its former glory with a quick clean.

4. Lots of Design Options

Tiles have become a household favourite because there are so many colours, materials and shapes on offer, so you have a real opportunity for creative freedom when designing your bathroom.

Anything from the Ancient Grecian look, to cool, contemporary matt-black, you can achieve almost any look you want with the right tiles. For an added dash of creativity, you could even go a step further and look into coloured grouts.

5. Slip Resistant Options

Some bathroom flooring types can be slippery when wet, however, many tiles are designed or treated specially to avoid to provide slip resistance. This can be a textured glaze, or studs or orange peel textures to the surface of the tile.

Also, your grout lines contribute to the anti-slip factor, providing lots more grip for your feet, so if anti-slip is something that is important to you we recommend going for tiles with a textured surface, and using smaller tiles to provide lots of grout lines.

6. Hypo-Allergenic Possibilities

Ceramic tiled floors and glazed floors when properly sealed, do not make very hospitable environments for dust mites, pollen or other allergens. With fewer places to hide on the hard, glazed surface, tiled floors cut down on the amount of harmful allergens in the home, and the amount of breeding organisms like mold and bacteria can do, because they can be easily dealt with a mop or sponge.

These high hygienic standards can contribute to the health of your household!

7. Versatility

Tiles are extremely versatile and can be used to create a cohesive theme throughout your house. You can also use a combination of floor and wall tiles to give your bathroom a luxury spa feel, or matching complimenting colours and textures together ad using border tiles to break up the colour scheme in creates a real designer effect.

8. Colour Permanence

Ceramic tiles are colour-fast, so exposure to sunlight will not cause any fading or alteration in the tone, this means you can be sure your bathroom floor will continue to look good for years, while natural stone tiles are the same colour throughout, so even a chip or a scratch won’t ruin your colour.

9. Add Value to Your Home

Studies have shown that a quality tiled floor in your home can add value to it’s re-sell value. They are a sign of permanence and lasting quality - tiles have a long life span so will not need replacing wholesale anytime soon, and potential buyers know that they will not have to do much to keep them in perfect condition.

Plus, if something does go wrong and a tile cracks, replacing tiles is not too difficult and could be done by a keen DIYer.

10. Value for money

Tiled floors boast the longest lifespan of any kind of bathroom flooring. They are hardy and durable, with a natural resistance to so many things that cause early depreciation and deterioration in other flooring.

It is true that tiles can be more expensive to purchase and fit compared to more cost-effective flooring. However, if installed and maintained properly, the original outlay can be viewed as an investment in the future of your bathroom - buy cheap, buy twice. If you spend on a permanent solution, you know that you will not have to spend again for possibly decades. As long as you keep up with the maintenance and sealing that your manufacturer recommends, tiles will last as long as you wish them to last.

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Alex

Alex is one of our bathroom bloggers here at Victorian Plumbing. You'll find him regularly blogging about fun bathroom ideas and trends as well as writing expert 'how to' step-by-step DIY guides.